Judge A. Benjamin Goldgar: Biography & Court Procedures | KnowJudges # A. Benjamin Goldgar U.S. Bankruptcy Judge · [U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the Northern District of Illinois](/kyj/court/il/u-s-bankruptcy-court-for-the-northern-district-of-illinois) Last updated October 7, 2026 ## A. Benjamin Goldgar at a glance Current roleU.S. Bankruptcy Judge Court[U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the Northern District of Illinois](/kyj/court/il/u-s-bankruptcy-court-for-the-northern-district-of-illinois) JurisdictionIllinois · Federal Judicial serviceActive ## Service record and verification ### Judicial service and assignments [U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the Northern District of Illinois](/kyj/court/il/u-s-bankruptcy-court-for-the-northern-district-of-illinois) · U.S. Bankruptcy Judge · Active · February 3, 2003–present ### Appointment and verification Source authorityCourtListener / Free Law Project [Official profile ↗](https://www.courtlistener.com/person/8792/a-benjamin-goldgar/) · [Official roster ↗](https://www.courtlistener.com/person/8792/a-benjamin-goldgar/) ## Biography ### Professional career - Judge, United States Bankruptcy Court, N.D. Illinois, 2003-present - As of January 1, 2020, he became Chief U.S. Bankruptcy Judge for the district, succeeding Pamela S. Hollis - Chief U.S. Bankruptcy Judge for the Northern District of Illinois, appointed in 2003 and serving a renewable 14‐year term ### Education ### Additional information - U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the Northern District of Illinois since February 3, 2003, appointed by the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit. - Goldgar has taught appellate advocacy at Loyola University of Chicago Law School, held the role of past president of the Illinois Appellate Lawyers Association, and was associate editor of the American Bankruptcy Law Journal. - He chaired the Federal Rules Advisory Committee of the National Conference of Bankruptcy Judges and currently serves on the Advisory Committee on Bankruptcy Rules of the Judicial Conference of the United States ## Applicable Court Rules & Procedures Rules last checked July 30, 2026. ### Motion practice CourtwideRequest an order by written motion unless the rules authorize an application or the request is made during a hearing. State the grounds with particularity and specify the requested relief or order. A motion must state its grounds with particularity and set forth the relief or order requested.[Federal Rules of Bankruptcy Procedure ↗](https://www.uscourts.gov/sites/default/files/document/federal-rules-of-bankruptcy-procedure.pdf) CourtwideUnless a motion may be heard ex parte or another period applies, serve the written motion and hearing notice at least seven days before the hearing. Serve supporting affidavits with the motion. A written motion (other than one that may be heard ex parte) and notice of any hearing must be served at least 7 days before the hearing date, unless the court or these rules set a different period.[Federal Rules of Bankruptcy Procedure ↗](https://www.uscourts.gov/sites/default/files/document/federal-rules-of-bankruptcy-procedure.pdf) ### Contested Matter Notice CourtwideIn a contested matter not otherwise governed by the bankruptcy rules, request relief by motion and give the opposing party reasonable notice and an opportunity to be heard. A response is required only if the court orders one. Reasonable notice and an opportunity to be heard must be given to the party against whom relief is sought. No response is required unless the court orders otherwise.[Federal Rules of Bankruptcy Procedure ↗](https://www.uscourts.gov/sites/default/files/document/federal-rules-of-bankruptcy-procedure.pdf) ### Disputed Fact Testimony CourtwidePresent witness testimony on a disputed material factual issue in the same manner as testimony in an adversary proceeding. A witness's testimony on a disputed material factual issue must be taken in the same manner as testimony in an adversary proceeding.[Federal Rules of Bankruptcy Procedure ↗](https://www.uscourts.gov/sites/default/files/document/federal-rules-of-bankruptcy-procedure.pdf) ### Hearings CourtwideUse the court's procedure to determine, reasonably before a scheduled hearing, whether it will be an evidentiary hearing at which witnesses may testify. The court must provide procedures that allow parties-at a reasonable time before a scheduled hearing-to determine whether it will be an evidentiary hearing at which witnesses may testify.[Federal Rules of Bankruptcy Procedure ↗](https://www.uscourts.gov/sites/default/files/document/federal-rules-of-bankruptcy-procedure.pdf) ### Exhibits CourtwidePrepare evidence under the Federal Rules of Evidence and Federal Rules of Civil Procedure 43, 44, and 44.1, which apply in bankruptcy cases. The Federal Rules of Evidence and Fed. R. Civ. P. 43, 44, and 44.1 apply in a bankruptcy case.[Federal Rules of Bankruptcy Procedure ↗](https://www.uscourts.gov/sites/default/files/document/federal-rules-of-bankruptcy-procedure.pdf) ### Oath Or Affirmation CourtwideA solemn affirmation may substitute when an oath is required. The national rule identifies the bankruptcy judge, clerk, deputy clerk, U.S. trustee, and other authorized officers as persons who may administer it. If an oath is required, a solemn affirmation suffices.[Federal Rules of Bankruptcy Procedure ↗](https://www.uscourts.gov/sites/default/files/document/federal-rules-of-bankruptcy-procedure.pdf) ## Sources Identity source checked June 30, 2026. Biography sources checked August 2, 2026. 01 ### U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the Northern District of Illinois current judicial profile Identity source · HTML · CourtListener / Free Law Project · effective February 3, 2003 · Source checked August 2, 2026 [View U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the Northern District of Illinois current judicial profile ↗](https://www.courtlistener.com/person/8792/a-benjamin-goldgar/) 02 ### Federal Rules of Bankruptcy Procedure Courtwide source · PDF · Judicial Conference of the United States · effective December 1, 2025 · Source checked July 30, 2026 [View Federal Rules of Bankruptcy Procedure ↗](https://www.uscourts.gov/sites/default/files/document/federal-rules-of-bankruptcy-procedure.pdf) [Public Records & Data Use](/public-records-data-use) · [Corrections policy](/corrections) Found an error?[Let us know](mailto:info@knowjudges.com?subject=Found%20an%20error%20on%20KnowJudges.com&body=We%20found%20an%20error%20on%20the%20page%20https%3A%2F%2Fknowjudges.com%2Fkyj%2Fjudge%2Fa-benjamin-goldgar-8792.%0A%0APlease%20correct%20this%20with%3A%0A%0A%5Bdescribe%20the%20correction%5D%0A%0AHere%20is%20the%20source%20supporting%20our%20claim%3A%0A%0A%5Battach%20a%20link%20or%20PDF%5D) ## Published courtroom rules ### Shared court rules - [Federal Rules of Bankruptcy Procedure, December 1, 2025](https://knowjudges.com/courtroom-rules/national-shared-set-52c9ad7e083212c057b747c7) — Bankruptcy proceedings only; chapter-specific limits apply. Section-specific exceptions, waivers, later amendments and case orders remain applicable. This is a source excerpt, not an exhaustive statement of the rule. [Official source](https://www.uscourts.gov/sites/default/files/document/federal-rules-of-bankruptcy-procedure.pdf). Collected 2026-10-27.